The government has confirmed the shape of the new local government arrangements for Devon, assigning councillor numbers and provisional names for four unitary authorities that will replace the existing county and district councils.
What has been decided
Under the plan announced by ministers, Devon will be governed by four separate unitary councils. The allocation of councillors for each authority is:
| Authority | Number of councillors |
|---|---|
| Exeter Council | 86 |
| Torbay and South Devon | 64 |
| Greater Plymouth | 68 |
| Devon Council (rest of county) | 103 |
Taken together, the four new bodies will have more than 300 councillors. They replace the present configuration of the county council plus district councils, which currently comprises 481 councillors across 11 authorities.
Timeline and practical next steps
Elections to the new councils are scheduled for May 2027, with the successful candidates due to assume control when the new authorities formally take effect in April 2028. Existing councils are being required to submit proposed ward maps by 17 August, a deadline that will determine electoral boundaries ahead of next year’s ballots.
- Provisional names provided by government: Exeter Council, Torbay and South Devon, Greater Plymouth and Devon Council.
- Each authority may apply to change its name in future.
- The government will contribute £900,000 towards the establishment of each unitary, a total of £3.6 million for Devon.
This reorganisation represents a major administrative change. Local services, staffing, and budgets currently managed across different councils will need to be reconciled into the new structures during the transition period.
What this means for residents
The move to unitary authorities is intended to simplify governance by consolidating responsibilities that are currently split between county and district levels. For residents, the aim is to create clearer accountability for services such as planning, social care and highways. However, the scale of the change also brings significant logistical and democratic questions — for example, how ward boundaries will reflect local communities and how representation will compare with the current system.
Councillors and local groups will have an important role in shaping ward maps and making representations before the 17 August deadline. Those interested in the process should watch for consultations and publications from their existing councils, which will set out how to submit views on proposed boundaries and the practical arrangements for the 2027 elections.
The coming months will be decisive in determining how well the new unitary model matches local needs across urban centres such as Exeter and Plymouth and the more rural areas that will fall under the new Devon Council.
